Tamale Drug Bust: Red Maria Team Seizes 142 Parcels of Indian Hemp on Bimbilla Highway.

An intelligence-directed operation in the Northern Region resulted in the arrest of 4 suspects and the seizure of 142 compressed parcels of suspected Indian hemp. The successful crackdown was recorded on Thursday, October 15, 2026, on the busy Bimbilla-Tamale highway. The apprehension of the suspects involved in the illicit trade, together with the haul of drugs marks another victory against narcotic activities after the arresting officers categorically turned down a staggering GH¢50,000 cash bribe offered by the syndicates.

The tactical interception was on Thursday, October 15, 2026, at about 6:30 p.m. in a well-organized operation by a 13-member team of the Northern Regional Special Operations Task, popularly called the "Red Maria." Under the supervision of Chief Inspector Abu Isahaku, the elite squad pulled over a mini commercial bus with registration number GW 7800-14 as it drove from Bimbilla to the ancient metropolis of Tamale.

A meticulous inspection of the commercial vehicle revealed the illicit cargo hidden inside the trunk. The officers found 142 compressed slabs of the narcotic substance packed in 4 large jute sacks, locally called "Ghana Must Go" bags. The driver of the bus was 46-year-old Alhassan Zeblim and was taken to custody immediately.

An immediate roadside interrogation of Zeblim revealed that he was hired to deliver the parcel to an unknown tricycle rider waiting in Tamale. Working cooperatively with the task force, the driver placed a controlled call to his contact to finalize the delivery arrangement, which, in turn, gave the police the location where the illicit consignment was supposed to be delivered.

The police team arrived at the drop-off point and laid a trap for the unsuspecting recipients of the drugs. The trap was sprung when Ibrahim Yussif, a 34-year-old tricycle rider, arrived at the scene. The police team also took into custody his 56-year-old brother, Bawa Yussif, who had accompanied him to ensure the cargo was delivered to the buyer. The police officers confiscated the transport tricycle as material evidence.

The investigation trailed down to Tamale after more disclosures by the suspects. Ibrahim Yussif further exposed the suspected mastermind behind the distribution network as Mohammed Haruna. The police squad tracked Haruna to Sarafina, a local drinking spot in Tamale, and arrested him.

The cornered suspects, in their desperation to evade prosecution, pooled resources together to offer GH¢50,000 cash bribe to Chief Inspector Isahaku and his 13-man team and walk away from the scene of the crime. However, the integrity of the arresting officers refused to allow such ill-gotten gains to taint their hands. They declined the bribe and instead detained the money as secondary evidence before handing over the four suspects, tricycle, and the 142 drug parcels to the Regional Drug Law Enforcement Unit for arraignment.